Coater having interrupted conveyor system
Methods and coaters for applying films onto a substrate (e.g., a large-area glass substrate) are disclosed. Certain embodiments involve a coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate. The coater in some embodiments has a transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater. The substrate transport system in certain embodiments includes an upward coating deposition gap. The coater preferably has a source of coating material adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through such gap and onto a bottom major surface of the substrate as the substrate is conveyed along a desired portion of the path of substrate travel, which portion of the path of substrate travel extends over the upward coating deposition gap.
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The present application claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application filed Sep. 3, 2004 and assigned Ser. No. 60/607,091, and provisional U.S. patent application filed Jan. 7, 2005 and assigned Ser. No. 60/644,139, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to methods and coaters for applying coatings onto substrates. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and coaters for applying thin film coatings onto glass sheets and other sheet-like substrates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn the coated glass industry, it is common to apply one or more thin films onto one or both major surfaces of a glass sheet to impart desired properties in the coated glass. For example, in manufacturing coated glass for windows, it is advantageous to apply infrared-reflective coatings and one or more other coatings that provide hydrophilicity and/or photoactivity.
Insofar as infrared-reflective coatings are concerned, these coatings help provide comfortable interior climates within homes and other buildings. Human beings have a relatively narrow temperature range in which they are comfortable. Unfortunately, infrared (IR) energy from the sun entering a room through a window can quickly raise the temperature in the room to an uncomfortable level. Infrared-reflective coatings have been developed, inter alia, to prevent heat spikes in a room by reflecting some of the incident infrared energy. These coatings also help keep a room warm in the winter by reflecting back into the room some of the infrared energy that would otherwise escape through windows. Thus, infrared-reflective coatings help establish a comfortable living environment while reducing heating and air conditioning costs.
Insofar as hydrophilic and/or photocatalytic coatings are concerned, these coatings have been developed to provide low-maintenance properties for windows and other glazings. These coatings reduce the need for, and/or the effort involved in, cleaning the glass of windows, doors, skylights, and the like. Given the time and effort spent by the average homeowner on window cleaning, the advantages of a low-maintenance window are apparent. Moreover, when one considers the extensive measures and expense involved in cleaning the glass exteriors of modern skyscrapers, the upside of low-maintenance glass can be acutely appreciated.
The foregoing discussion of infrared-reflective coatings and coatings that are hydrophilic and/or photocatalytic is provided merely to exemplify one set of applications for which it is desirable to apply coatings onto both major surfaces of a pane or another sheet-like substrate. The present invention is by no means limited to the application of any particular coating(s). Rather, it has utility in applying a wide variety of thin film coatings. Moreover, the invention is not limited to embodiments in which both major surfaces of a sheet-like substrate are coated. To the contrary, the invention provides numerous embodiments in which only one major surface of the substrate is coated.
It would be desirable to provide methods and coaters in which various coatings can be applied upwardly onto the bottom major surface of a sheet-like substrate. It would be particularly desirable to provide methods and coaters in which coatings can be applied upwardly and downwardly (e.g., in a single pass of the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater), so as to facilitate rapid and efficient coating of both major surfaces of a sheet-like substrate. Methods and coaters of this nature would be particularly advantageous insofar as they involve applying one or more infrared-reflective films (e.g., a low-emissivity coating) downwardly onto a top major surface of the substrate, and applying another coating (e.g., a hydrophilic and/or photocatalytic coating) upwardly onto a bottom major surface of the substrate.
The following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings, in which like elements in different drawings have corresponding reference numbers. In some cases, the reference numbers for like elements in different drawings are indexed by multiples of one hundred. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Examples of constructions, materials, dimensions, and manufacturing processes are provided for selected elements. All other elements employ that which is known to those of skill in the field of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many of the examples provided have suitable alternatives that can be utilized.
In some embodiments of the invention, the chamber 102 is capable of providing a controlled environment within the interior cavity 104. Preferably, the chamber 102 is adapted for establishing and maintaining a vacuous environment in the cavity 104. For example, the chamber 102 preferably is adapted for use at (e.g., is adapted for establishing and maintaining therein, and/or is operated while maintaining in the cavity) a total gas pressure of less than about 140 torr., more preferably less than about 0.1 torr., and perhaps most commonly between about 1 mtorr. and about 0.1 torr. (e.g., between about 1 mtorr. and about 30 mtorr.). In some particular embodiments, the preferred pressure range is between about 2 mtorr. and about 4.5 mtorr., such as between about 3.5 mtorr. and about 4.5 mtorr. Thus, in certain embodiments, the chamber 102 is provided with conventional gas delivery and pumping systems adapted for establishing and maintaining pressures within any range or ranges described in this paragraph.
With reference to
The substrate transport system 124, 224, 324, 524, 624, 1624 (or a portion thereof in a desired chamber of the coater) can have one conveyor loop, as exemplified in
In embodiments involving at least two conveyor loops, the configuration of the substrate transport system preferably is such that a second of the conveyor loops is at a position entirely further along the path of substrate travel than a first of the conveyor loops, as exemplified in
As exemplified in
Preferably, the substrate transport system has (e.g., defines) an upward coating deposition gap that allows the substrate's bottom major surface to be coated entirely. For example, such a gap preferably has a length GL (i.e., the major dimension of the gap along the lateral axis LA) that is at least as great as the substrate's width SW (i.e., the major dimension of the substrate along axis LA, when the substrate is operatively positioned on the transport system and/or when being conveyed through the coater). Further, the source of coating material beneath (e.g., directly beneath) such gap preferably is adapted for delivering a flux 811 of coating material having a length FL (i.e., the major dimension of the flux along axis LA) that is at least as great as the substrate's width, such that full-area coating of the substrate's bottom surface can be performed. Reference is made to
In some embodiments, the present coaters and methods involve a conveyor sheet 144, 244 and a lower source of coating material 134, 136, 234, 334, 336, 534, 634, 1634 that is adapted for upwardly emitting a flux 811 of coating material having a length FL that is at least 50%, and perhaps optimally at least 80%, as great as the conveyor width CW.
It is anticipated that in some embodiments only a portion of the flux length FL will comprise enough coating material to reliably provide the desired continuous film on the substrate. In embodiments of this nature, any relative dimensioning involving the flux length can be advantageously based on this effective flux length. For example, the outermost end regions at opposed lateral sides of the flux distribution may comprise very small quantities of coating material (which may not be sufficient to form a continuous coating on the substrate), and therefore are preferably not counted as part of the effective flux length.
In some embodiments of the invention, the substrate transport system includes at least one upward coating deposition gap having a length GL of at least about 0.5 meter, preferably at least about 1 meter, perhaps more preferably at least about 1.5 meters (e.g., between about 2 meters and about 4 meters, such as between about 2.5 meters and about 3.5 meters), and perhaps optimally at least about 3 meters. The methods of the invention can optionally involve delivering coating material upwardly (e.g., from a lower source of coating material) through a gap having a length within any one or more of the ranges described in this paragraph. Embodiments of this nature are well suited for coating large-area substrates and thus are particularly advantageous.
Preferably, the transport system includes at least one upward coating deposition gap having a width W (i.e., the major dimension of the gap along the longitudinal axis LO) that is less than one half the length L (i.e., the major dimension of the substrate along axis LO, when the substrate is operatively positioned on the transport system and/or when being conveyed through the coater) of the substrate. This, however, is by no means required in all embodiments.
In certain embodiments, the transport system includes at least one upward coating deposition gap having a width W that is at least about 4 inches (e.g., between about 4 inches and about 12 inches), preferably at least about 6 inches, perhaps more preferably at least about 7 inches, and perhaps optimally at least about 8 inches (e.g., between about 10 inches and about 24 inches). The methods of the invention can optionally involve delivering coating material upwardly (e.g., from a lower source of coating material) through a gap having a width within any one or more of the ranges described in this paragraph.
With reference to
Thus, some embodiments involve operating an adjacent pair of conveyor loops at the same (or substantially the same) speed. For example, each conveyor of such an adjacent pair can be operatively coupled with a motor (as exemplified in
One method of the invention involves: (1) providing a coater that includes a plurality of upward coating chambers each having at least two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap; (2) operating such conveyor loops so they move at substantially identical speeds; (3) conveying a substrate from a first of the conveyor loops in a selected one of the upward coating chambers to a second of the conveyor loops in that chamber; and (4) operating an upward coating device, provided beneath an upward coating deposition gap in the selected upward coating chamber, so as to deliver coating material upwardly through this gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate (preferably so as to entirely coat the bottom surface of the substrate). Further, some preferred methods involve providing a coater having a substrate transport system that includes a plurality of (e.g., two or more, perhaps five or more, or even seven or more) conveyor loops wherein all of the conveyor loops are operated so as to move at substantially identical speeds. These methods can optionally be practiced with any coater embodiment described in the present disclosure.
In some embodiments, each upward coating deposition gap is bounded by two confronting conveyor portions. For example, in
In
Reference will now be made to certain embodiments of the invention in which there is provided a method for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate. In the present embodiments, the method comprises: (1) providing a coater having a substrate transport system defining a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including first and second conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having a lower source of coating material positioned below said gap; (2) positioning the substrate on the first conveyor loop; (3) operating the transport system so as to convey the substrate along the path of substrate travel from the first conveyor loop to the second conveyor loop, such that the substrate during this conveyance moves over the source of coating material; and (4) operating the coater so as to deliver coating material upwardly from the lower source of coating material through the gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate. In some methods of this nature, the coater includes a series of thin film deposition apparatuses positioned on a common side of the path of substrate travel such that the deposition apparatuses of the series are above the path of substrate travel, the deposition apparatuses of the series being operated so as to deposit a low-emissivity coating on a top major surface of the substrate. Reference is made to
In certain embodiments of the invention, there is provided coater for applying thin films onto two generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like substrate. In these embodiments, the coater has a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having an upper source of coating material positioned above the path of substrate travel and a lower source of coating material positioned below the path of substrate travel, the upper source being adapted for delivering coating material downwardly toward the path of substrate travel, the lower source being adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through the gap toward the path of substrate travel. In some coater embodiments of this nature, the coater includes a series of thin film deposition apparatuses positioned on a common side of the path of substrate travel such that the deposition apparatuses of the noted series are either above or below the path of substrate travel, the deposition apparatuses of the noted series being adapted to deposit a low-emissivity coating on the substrate. One such coater embodiment is exemplified in
Turning now to the embodiment of
With continued reference to
In
The substrate transport system preferably defines a path of substrate travel extending through the chamber. Further, in preferred embodiments, the chamber is part of a coater or coating line that comprises a plurality of chambers (which may be connected in series) through which the substrate can be conveyed sequentially. In such embodiments, the path of substrate travel typically extends through all the chambers of the coater (e.g., between a coater entrance 1120 and a coater exit 1122), and the transport system typically is operated so as to convey the substrate sequentially through each deposition chamber of such a coater (optionally, the substrate is conveyed at substantially the same speed through the coater).
In
In some preferred embodiments, the coating delivered upwardly onto the substrate's bottom major surface has a particularly small total thickness, such as less than about 750 angstroms, perhaps more preferably less than about 500 angstroms, and perhaps optimally less than about 300 angstroms (e.g., between about 40 angstroms and about 250 angstroms, such as between about 40 angstroms and about 100 angstroms, and in some cases between 45 angstroms and 95 angstroms). In certain embodiments, this coating (or at least one film region of this coating) comprises (e.g., consists essentially of) titanium oxide at a thickness within one or more of these ranges. The features described in this paragraph can optionally be provided in methods of the invention regardless of which coater embodiments are employed.
In
In
In
With continued reference to
Thus, certain methods of the invention involve applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate. Some of these methods include: (1) providing a coater having a transport system defining a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including first and second conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, the coater having a lower source of coating material positioned below such gap; (2) positioning the substrate on the first conveyor loop; (3) operating the transport system so as to convey the substrate along the path of substrate travel from the first conveyor loop to the second conveyor loop, such that the substrate during this conveyance moves over the lower source of coating material; and (4) operating the coater so as to deliver coating material upwardly from the lower source of coating material through the gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate. In certain particularly advantageous methods of this nature, the operation of the lower source of coating material is performed in a lower region LR of a desired chamber DC of the coater, which desired chamber includes an upper region UR that either is equipped with no upper thin film deposition apparatus or is equipped with an upper deposition apparatus that is maintained in a non-depositing condition (i.e., in a condition where it is not being operated so as to emit coating material) during the operation of the lower source of coating material. For example, reference is made to
In the embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
The cleaning device(s) CD, when provided, can each take various different forms. In
The cleaning device CD, when provided, can optionally comprise a scraper, brush, and/or tensioning device CDT in direct physical contact with the conveyor 1608. The scraper, brush, and/or tensioning device CDT can optionally be mounted to a wall of the chamber 1602, as shown in
It is to be understood that the apparatus and methods described herein can be used to apply coating onto one or both sides of a sheet-like substrate (e.g., a pane of glass) regardless of the nature of the coating(s) applied. For example, the apparatus can be used to apply anti-reflective coating onto one or both sides of a substrate, to apply infrared-reflective coating onto one or both sides of a substrate, or to apply water-sheeting coating, such as a photocatalytic coating, onto one or both sides of a substrate.
As noted above, certain embodiments of the invention allow a substrate to be provided with coating (regardless of composition) on both sides in a single pass of the substrate through the coater while the substrate is maintained in a constant orientation, i.e. wherein it does not need to be flipped, turned, or otherwise manipulated. This avoids the need to send the substrate through the coater, flip the substrate over, and send it back through the coater a second time. This enables a substrate having desired coatings on both sides to be produced in a particularly rapid and economical manner.
Substrates of various size can be used in the present invention. Commonly, large-area substrates are used. Certain embodiments involve a substrate having a major dimension of at least about 0.5 meter, preferably at least about 1 meter, perhaps more preferably at least about 1.5 meters (e.g., between about 2 meters and about 4 meters), and in some cases at least about 3 meters.
Substrates of various thickness can be used in the present invention. Commonly, substrates (e.g., glass sheets) with a thickness of about 1-5 mm are used. Certain embodiments involve a substrate with a thickness of between about 2.3 mm and about 4.8 mm, and perhaps more preferably between about 2.5 mm and about 4.8 mm. In some cases, a sheet of glass (e.g., soda-lime glass) with a thickness of about 3 mm is used.
Thus, the substrate involved in any embodiment (e.g., in any method or any coater-substrate assembly) can advantageously have a major dimension in any one or more of the noted major dimension ranges and/or a thickness in any one or more of the noted thickness ranges. In certain methods of present invention, the substrate is conveyed through the coater at a transport speed of about 100-500 inches per minute. In the drawings, roller bed conveyors are shown, although certain embodiments provide one or more slider bed conveyors.
Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention covered by this document have been set forth in the foregoing description. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure is, in many respects, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size and ordering of steps without exceeding the scope of the invention. The invention's scope is, of course, defined by the language in which the appended claims are expressed.
Claims
1. A coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, at least one of the conveyor loops traveling around a generally horizontal row of upper rotatable bodies which support the weight of the substrate during conveyance, and traveling around one or more underside rotatable bodies during conveyance, the one or more underside rotatable bodies being positioned below the row of upper rotatable bodies such that upper rotatable bodies at each of two ends of the row of upper rotatable bodies have a conveyor wrap of less than 180 degrees, the coater having a source of coating material adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap onto a bottom major surface of the substrate as the substrate is conveyed along a desired portion of the path of substrate travel, said desired portion of the path of substrate travel extending over the upward coating deposition gap.
2. The coater of claim 1, wherein each of said two conveyor loops comprises a conveyor sheet having a width of at least about 1 meter.
3. The coater of claim 1, wherein each of said two conveyor loops comprises a conveyor sheet having a width of at least about 2 meters.
4. The coater of claim 1, wherein each of said two conveyor loops comprises a conveyor sheet having generally-opposed lateral side edges between which the conveyor sheet forms a continuous wall devoid of gaps.
5. The coater of claim 1, wherein each of said two conveyor loops comprises a conveyor sheet having generally-opposed lateral side edges and having a major surface that is substantially entirely generally planar, such that when the bottom major surface of the substrate is positioned directly on said major surface there is a lateral extent of contact between said major surface and the substrate's bottom surface, said lateral extent of contact extending substantially entirely between the lateral side edges of the conveyor sheet.
6. The coater of claim 1, wherein at least part of the source of coating material is positioned directly beneath the upward coating deposition gap.
7. The coater of claim 1, wherein the coater includes a deposition chamber defining an interior cavity, the path of substrate travel extends through the deposition chamber, and said source of coating material is disposed at least in part within the deposition chamber.
8. The coater of claim 7, wherein the deposition chamber is a vacuum deposition chamber adapted for carrying out at least one vacuum deposition process.
9. The coater of claim 8, wherein the vacuum deposition chamber is adapted for establishing and maintaining a gas pressure in said interior cavity of less than about 0.1 torr.
10. The coater of claim 1, wherein said source of coating material includes a thin film deposition apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sputter deposition apparatus, an ion-assisted deposition apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, and a vacuum evaporation apparatus.
11. The coater of claim 10, wherein said source of coating material includes a sputter deposition apparatus comprising a sputtering target.
12. The coater of claim 11, wherein the sputtering target has a length, the upward coating deposition gap has a length, and the target is positioned directly beneath said gap so that the target's length is generally parallel to the gap's length.
13. The coater of claim 11, further comprising a power supply adapted for delivering an electric charge to the sputtering target.
14. The coater of claim 1, wherein the coater is a large-area coater and the substrate transport system is adapted for conveying substrates each having a width of at least about 1.5 meters.
15. The coater of claim 1, wherein the coater is a large-area coater and the substrate transport system is adapted for conveying substrates each having a width of at least about 2 meters.
16. The coater of claim 1, wherein the coater is a large-area coater and said source of coating material comprises a sputtering target having a length of at least about 1 meter.
17. The coater of claim 1, wherein the coater is a large-area coater and said source of coating material comprises a sputtering target having a length of at least about 1.5 meters.
18. The coater of claim 1, wherein the upward coating deposition gap has a length, said source of coating material is adapted to deliver a flux of coating material, said flux having a length that is at least about 50% as great as the length of the upward coating deposition gap.
19. The coater of claim 1, wherein the upward coating deposition gap has a length, said source of coating material is adapted to deliver a flux of coating material, said flux having a length that is at least about 75% as great as the length of the upward coating deposition gap.
20. The coater of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a width, and the upward coating deposition gap has a length that is at least as great as the substrate's width.
21. The coater of claim 20, wherein said source of coating material is adapted for delivering a flux of coating material, said flux having a length that is at least as great as the substrate's width, such that said source of coating material is adapted for full-area coating of the bottom major surface of the substrate.
22. The coater of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a width, and said source of coating material is a sputtering target having a length that is at least about 70% as great as the substrate's width.
23. The coater of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a length, the upward coating deposition gap has a width, and the width of said gap is less than one half the length of the substrate.
24. The coater of claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper rotatable bodies at each of two ends of the row of upper rotatable bodies have a conveyor wrap of about 90 degrees.
25. A coater for applying thin films onto two generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like substrate, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system including two conveyor loops separated by an upward coating deposition gap, at least one of the conveyor loops traveling around a generally horizontal row of upper rotatable bodies which support the weight of the substrate during conveyance, and traveling around one or more underside rotatable bodies during conveyance, the one or more underside rotatable bodies being positioned below the row of upper rotatable bodies such that upper rotatable bodies at each of two ends of the row of upper rotatable bodies have a conveyor wrap of less than 180 degrees, the coater having an upper source of coating material positioned above the path of substrate travel and a lower source of coating material positioned below the path of substrate travel, said upper source being adapted for delivering coating material downwardly toward the path of substrate travel, said lower source being adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap toward the path of substrate travel.
26. The coater of claim 25, wherein the coater includes a vacuum deposition chamber defining an interior cavity, the path of substrate travel extends through the vacuum deposition chamber, and the vacuum deposition chamber is adapted for establishing and maintaining a gas pressure in said interior cavity of less than about 0.1 ton.
27. The coater of claim 25, wherein said upper source of coating material comprises a sputtering target, and said lower source of coating material includes a thin film deposition apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sputter deposition apparatus, an ion-assisted deposition apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, and a vacuum evaporation apparatus.
28. The coater of claim 25, wherein the coater includes a series of thin film deposition apparatuses positioned on a common side of the path of substrate travel such that the deposition apparatuses of said series are either above or below the path of substrate travel, the deposition apparatuses of said series being adapted to deposit a low-emissivity coating on the substrate.
29. The coater of claim 28, said series of deposition apparatuses including at least one apparatus adapted for depositing a silver-containing film on the substrate.
30. The coater of claim 28, wherein the deposition apparatuses of said series are positioned above the path of substrate travel.
31. The coater of claim 28, wherein said series of deposition apparatuses includes sputtering targets.
32. The coater of claim 25, wherein at least one of the upper rotatable bodies at each of two ends of the row of upper rotatable bodies have a conveyor wrap of about 90 degrees.
33. A coater for applying thin films onto a sheet-like substrate, the coater comprising:
- a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the substrate through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor loop defining a pocket; and
- a source of coating material disposed at least partially within the pocket defined by the conveyor loop of the substrate transport system.
34. The coater of claim 33, wherein the substrate transport system defines a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, and said source of coating material is below the path of substrate travel.
35. The coater of claim 33, wherein said pocket is open upwardly toward the path of substrate travel, and said source of coating material is adapted for delivering coating material upwardly onto a bottom major surface of the substrate when the substrate is in a desired position on the transport system.
36. The coater of claim 33, wherein the substrate has a width, and the pocket has a length that is at least as great as the substrate's width.
37. The coater of claim 36, wherein said source of coating material is adapted for delivering a flux of coating material, said flux having a length that is at least as great as the substrate's width, such that said source of coating material is adapted for full-area coating of a bottom major surface of the substrate.
38. The coater of claim 36, wherein said source of coating material is a sputtering target having a length that is at least about 70% as great as the substrate's width.
39. The coater of claim 33, wherein the substrate has a length, the pocket has a width, and the width of the pocket is less than one half the length of the substrate.
40. The coater of claim 33, wherein the coater includes a deposition chamber defining an interior cavity, the substrate transport system defines a path of substrate travel extending through the deposition chamber, and said source of coating material is disposed at least in part within the deposition chamber.
41. The coater of claim 40, wherein the deposition chamber is a vacuum deposition chamber adapted for carrying out at least one vacuum deposition process.
42. The coater of claim 41, wherein the vacuum deposition chamber is adapted for establishing and maintaining a gas pressure in said interior cavity of less than about 0.1 torr.
43. The coater of claim 33, wherein said source of coating material includes a thin film deposition apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sputter deposition apparatus, an ion-assisted deposition apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, and a vacuum evaporation apparatus.
44. The coater of claim 43, wherein said source of coating material includes a sputter deposition apparatus comprising a sputtering target.
45. The coater of claim 44, wherein the sputtering target is disposed at least partially within the pocket defined by the conveyor loop of the substrate transport system.
46. The coater of claim 45, further comprising a gas-delivery outlet disposed within the pocket defined by the conveyor loop of the substrate transport system.
47. The coater of claim 46, further comprising a gas supply coupled with, and/or adapted for being coupled with, a gas-delivery line leading to the gas-delivery outlet.
48. The coater of claim 45, further comprising an anode disposed at least partially within the pocket defined by the conveyor loop of the substrate transport system.
49. The coater of claim 48, further comprising a power supply for providing a voltage differential between the sputtering target and the anode.
50. The coater of claim 33, wherein the pocket is bounded by a generally-horizontal portion of the conveyor loop and by two generally-vertical confronting portions of the conveyor loop.
51. A coater for applying thin films onto two generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like glass substrate having a major dimension of at least 1 meter, the coater having a substrate transport system adapted for conveying the glass substrate along a path of substrate travel extending through the coater, the substrate transport system having a conveyor with an upward coating deposition gap, at least one of the conveyor loops traveling around a generally horizontal row of upper rotatable bodies which support the weight of the substrate during conveyance, and traveling around one or more underside rotatable bodies during conveyance, the one or more underside rotatable bodies being positioned below the row of upper rotatable bodies such that upper rotatable bodies at each of two ends of the row of upper rotatable bodies have a conveyor wrap of less than 180 degrees, the coater including an upper source of coating material positioned above the path of substrate travel and a lower source of coating material positioned below the path of substrate travel, said upper source being adapted for delivering coating material downwardly toward the path of substrate travel, said lower source being adapted for delivering coating material upwardly through said gap toward the path of substrate travel, wherein the upper source of coating material comprises a sputtering target, and the lower source of coating material includes a thin film deposition apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sputter deposition apparatus, an ion-assisted deposition apparatus, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, and a vacuum evaporation apparatus.
52. The coater of claim 51, wherein said conveyor includes two conveyor loops separated by said upward coating deposition gap, wherein each conveyor loop comprises a conveyor sheet.
53. The coater of claim 51, wherein at least one of the upper rotatable bodies at each of two ends of the row of upper rotatable bodies have a conveyor wrap of about 90 degrees.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Aug 29, 2005
Date of Patent: Jul 6, 2010
Patent Publication Number: 20060048708
Assignee: Cardinal CG Company (Eden Prairie, MN)
Inventor: Klaus Hartig (Avoca, WI)
Primary Examiner: Rodney G McDonald
Attorney: Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Application Number: 11/214,663
International Classification: C23C 14/34 (20060101); C23C 16/00 (20060101);